Safety Topics

Military munitions that were used, but fail to function as intended are called UXO or unexploded ordnance. Military munitions abandoned without proper disposal or removed from storage in a military magazine or other storage area for the purpose of disposal are called discarded military munitions or DMM.

Just for Kids

3Rs Explosives Safety

UXO stands for Unexploded Ordnance. UXO result from our military's use of munitions during live-fire training or testing. UXO are considered the most dangerous category of military munitions. Although the conditions that define military munitions as UXO are specific, the public should consider any munitions or suspect munitions it encounters as UXO and as extremely dangerous. By visiting this website and learning the 3Rs (Recognize, Retreat, Report), you have begun to protect yourself and family from the potential hazards associated with the presence of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO).

Program Information

Throughout history, our ability to maintain a well-trained military force has required the use of military munitions in live-fire training and testing. This use has often resulted in the presence of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in areas currently or formerly used for military training purposes. The Army has established a number of programs to address the full range of UXO issues, from detection to remediation to long-term monitoring. This program is primarily concerned with UXO Safety, which can most effectively be achieved through robust education and outreach. The Army's UXO Safety program is designed to educate military personnel and civilians alike about the potential hazards associated with UXO.
This website is intended to provide educational, training, and outreach resources for anyone potentially impacted by UXO as well as guidance on what to do should they encounter or suspect they have encountered UXO. Also, it serves to provide a consistent message (Recognize, Retreat, Report!) for use in local public involvement efforts. The Army has designed this program as a "toolkit" from which people and organizations could use individual "tools" to enhance or supplement local explosive safety programs.

Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP)

The DoD recognizes its responsibility to protect the public from the potential hazards associated with military operations, both past and present. This is particularly true with regard DoD's use of military munitions in training and testing. To address munitions-related issues and the potential hazards munitions pose on property that the DoD once used, DoD developed the Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP). Information about this program is provided on this site and on other sites to which this site is linked.
The Army hopes that you find this Website and its resources useful. Please visit often. As the Army wants to continuously improve this Website and to develop new tools for your use, it welcomes your feedback and suggestions!

RECOGNIZE — when you may have encountered a munition.RETREAT — do not touch, move or disturb it, but carefully leave the area.REPORT — call 911!

This is an official United States Government System for authorized, unclassified use only. Do not discuss, enter, transfer,
process, or transmit classified/sensitive national security information of greater sensitivity than this system is authorized.